Mayors’ Discovery Park

This park transformed an unused Caltrans parking lot surrounded by freeway on ramps, major traffic arteries, and parking lots, into a quiet neighborhood park with unique design elements echoing its transportation origins and surrounding land use. The historical use of the site as a Caltrans park and ride lot was expressed symbolically in the many play adventures and subtle aesthetic elements found in the park.

This park transformed an unused Caltrans parking lot surrounded by freeway on ramps, major traffic arteries, and parking lots, into a quiet neighborhood park with unique design elements echoing its transportation origins and surrounding land use. The historical use of the site as a Caltrans park and ride lot was expressed symbolically in the many play adventures and subtle aesthetic elements found in the park.

Mayors’ Discovery Park (Before)

Teaming up with Sautter Architecture, JOMA Design, and local ceramic artists, the park was enriched with an undulating shade arbor and hands-on waterway fountain used to float handmade boats.  Other features including a large sand play area with a buried model of the adjacent freeway interchange ready for discovery, picnic areas under arbors and pine woods, lawn berms, and an entry gateway collage of wheels from a large assortment of vehicles all supporting the transportation theme.